Where to purchase vitamin d

If a person is concerned that they might not be getting enough vitamin D, a doctor can provide a blood test to confirm whether or not they have a deficiency. Vitamin D deficiencies can cause conditions that affect the bones, such as osteomalacia and osteoporosis. This is because vitamin D deficiencies reduce calcium absorption. Deficiencies in vitamin D can also lead to rickets. However, in the U. This has lead to rickets becoming rarer.

The NIH provides a general guideline as follows:. Most people meet at least some of their vitamin D requirements by having safe exposure to sunlight. According to the NIH, spending 5—30 minutes in the sun — with the face, arms, legs, or back exposed — at least twice per week is usually enough. Vitamin D supplements are available in two forms: D2 ergocalciferol and D3 cholecalciferol.

Both are effective, but at high dosages, D3 seems to be more effective. Vitamin D supplements are available in different forms, including chewable tablets, liquids, and sprays. The type of supplement a person uses will depend on their preferences and medical needs.

For example, a liquid or spray may be easier to swallow than a pill. Please note that the writer of this article has not tried any of these products. All information presented here is purely research-based. The vitamin is fermented with yeast and other foods to help with absorption, and it is also vegetarian and gluten-free. The company also claims to use clean production processes, such as using water instead of using harsher chemicals to prepare herbal supplements. Ritual is a vitamin subscription service that offers products with simple, traceable ingredients.

This goes for its multivitamin for women ages 18 years and over. This multivitamin contains 2, IU 50 mcg of vitamin D3 sourced from lichen. This is more than enough of the vitamin needed for this age group per day. Those who are nonwhite, obese, or without a college education are at greater risk of not having adequate vitamin D levels. Drinking less milk a beverage that has been fortified with vitamin D since the s and using sunscreen are among the reasons that Vitamin D status in Americans has dropped over the years, says Clifford.

Indeed, the National Institutes of Health notes that deficiency has become more common in men in particular, likely due to rising weight, reduced milk drinking, and more use of sunscreen outdoors. That drop is a problem because the vitamin can help the gut absorb calcium , which ultimately promotes strong and healthy bones. Vitamin D is also helpful in reducing inflammation and boosting immune function and cell growth. Vitamin D2 — the plant-derived form of vitamin D, is naturally found in mushrooms, says Clifford.

Yet very few foods have enough vitamin D to reach recommended daily intakes, and sunshine can be unreliable in certain climates. Even drinking an 8-ounce glass of milk will only get you IU — one-sixth the amount that many adults need daily. But when supplements are added, they get closer to the IU goal. Consider this: Women between ages 51 and 70, who averaged IU through the diet-only approach, reached IU with the help of supplements.

Vitamin D supplements have long been touted as important to bone health. Nor was vitamin D supplementation found to reduce the risk of cancer, heart attack, stroke, or cardiovascular death in a randomized, controlled clinical trial involving over 25, participants that was published in January in The New England Journal of Medicine.

The findings also included a possible reduction in cancer risk for African Americans, which researchers wrote warrants further study. Meanwhile, though observational studies have suggested a link between low vitamin D levels and the risk of developing type 2 diabetes, a randomized, controlled clinical trial published in June in The New England Journal of Medicine did not support that conclusion.

So the benefits of vitamin D supplementation are far from certain. Why are some groups at greater risk of low vitamin D levels?

Breastfeeding women may need even more. Ritual is a subscription-based company that offers a prenatal vitamin with 2, IU of vitamin D per dose, along with other necessary nutrients for pregnant or breastfeeding women. Ritual provides detailed information on ingredient sourcing and uses a third-party lab to test each product twice for contaminants.

These prenatal capsules are also vegan, non-GMO, and free of major allergens, artificial colors, and fillers. Both products contain 1, IU per capsule. Persona Nutrition is another subscription-based company that offers personalized supplements to consumers based on an assessment quiz that asks questions about their diet and lifestyle.

Persona Nutrition also notes that all products are tested for purity at each stage of production. Vitamin D is necessary for children as well as adults 9. Plus, some children may be at risk of a deficiency, particularly those who take epilepsy medication or have absorption issues 14 , Vitamin D is essential for proper bone development in babies As breastmilk contains inadequate amounts of vitamin D, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that all breastfed and partially breastfed infants receive IU of vitamin D per day The supplement is also free of artificial additives, with certified organic olive oil as the only other ingredient.

However, vitamin D3 can increase vitamin D levels higher and for longer than vitamin D2, which may make it a better option 5. However, taking large amounts of any supplement can be dangerous, and high-dose monthly or weekly vitamin D supplements should only be taken under medical supervision. In adults, low vitamin D status can cause symptoms such as 4 :.

For children, potential symptoms of vitamin D deficiency include 4 :. Keep in mind that in some cases, vitamin D deficiency may not cause any symptoms, which can make it difficult to diagnose without a blood test 4. Vitamin D is an important nutrient that plays many critical roles in your body. As many people are deficient in this vitamin, supplements are sometimes needed to maintain optimal levels. The products above are among the best vitamin D supplements on the market and suit a wide variety of needs.

Vitamin D is needed to build strong bones, but many people don't get enough of this essential nutrient. More information about how we use cookies is available at Cookie and Privacy Policy. From supporting strong and healthy bones to maintaining your immune system, vitamin D is very important for a huge number of functions in the body.

When the darker nights arrive, it becomes all the more important as we usually make our vitamin D using sunshine. As we get older, our need for Vitamin D increases.

This is partly because of health risks associated with ageing. Check out our guide to vitamin D for people aged over 65 to find out more about this topic. This helps them with everything from growing and maintaining healthy bones, teeth and muscles, to keeping their natural immune system functioning. But how?

Choose child-friendly chewy gummies or odour- and flavour-less drops for babies and children to make supplementing their vitamin D a little easier.

If you want to read more about vitamin D, we have a wealth of articles on our health hub such as what the difference is between vitamin D2 and vitamin D3 , why vitamin D is important , which type of vitamin D is best for you , how much vitamin D you need , if you're getting enough vitamin D and how to identify vitamin D deficiency. Vitamin D helps your gut absorb calcium, which is essential for strong bones and teeth. In your blood, vitamin D is needed for the absorption and utilisation of calcium and phosphorus, which work together to maintain bone health.

This could leave you with low vitamin D levels. All adults and children over the age of one need 10mcg of vitamin D a day. This includes pregnant and breast-feeding women, too.

Babies under one need 8. As well as sunlight, vitamin D is found in some foods such as oily fish, eggs, mushrooms, and fortified foods. The government recommends that everyone should consider taking a vitamin D supplement, particularly between October and March.

Vitamin D helps the body to absorb calcium which is needed to maintain healthy and strong bones and muscles. If you are not getting enough vitamin D in your diet, you may end up experiencing symptoms of Vitamin D deficiency. There is no optimum time to take vitamin D, however, taking it with a meal may help enhance absorption into the body and blood stream. Saying this, it may be best to take vitamin D in the morning, as taking it at night may interfere with sleep.

This is because Vitamin D can hinder the production of melatonin in the body, which is a hormone that controls our sleep cycle. However more research is needed into this. Vitamin D sprays get absorbed straight into your digestive system for some seriously fast vitamin D action! But we know that kids usually struggle to take tablets — so why not try some vitamin D drops for kids?

Liquid is quickly absorbed by the body and you can alter the amount taken daily to provide you with the specific level of vitamin D you require. There are a few ways that you can increase Vitamin D levels such as making sure you spend time outside especially in the summer months , eating foods that are rich in vitamin D or taking supplements.